


Day 19: Family

by MoMoMomma



Series: 25 Drabbles of Christmas [19]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek Hale Feels, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 18:41:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2822282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoMoMomma/pseuds/MoMoMomma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The thing is...Derek doesn’t want a new family. There was nothing really wrong with his old one--literally every family has a crazy uncle so not even that part--and replacing it seems like a vicious attack on the memories of the good days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day 19: Family

The thing is...Derek doesn’t want a new family. There was nothing really wrong with his old one--literally every family has a crazy uncle so not even that part--and replacing it seems like a vicious attack on the memories of the good days. He doesn’t want a new set of parents or siblings. He wants his pack back and if he can’t have that….he won’t settle for second best.

And yet.

Dating John had been a big step back to normalcy. To something tangible and real. He’s been adrift for so long, chasing clouds that mimicked his ideal of a ‘perfect life’, that for the longest time he doesn’t expect it to last. A momentary diversion, a short fling, and he’s back to wandering aimlessly. But John _keeps_ him.

More than that...he gives him a pack.

It’s not the same, of course. It never will be, no matter how hard Derek tries to replace the memories. Melissa’s hugs won’t ever be as good as his mother’s. Lydia can never quite convince him to do things the way Laura could. Stiles doesn’t quite have his cousin Stefan’s comedic timing.

But it’s...it’s so close that sometimes Derek feels like if maybe he closes his eyes he can see them again. Hear them again. If only for a moment.

“You don’t have to be here.” John’s voice breaks him from one of those moments, low and murmured into his ear as a warm arm wraps around his waist.

Derek pops his eyes open, drifting out of the past as he watches the pack mill around. It’s a Christmas party, a reason for celebration, and yet…

And yet.

“Don’t push yourself.” John’s still right there, a grounding presence against his back and in his ear. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. You wanna go? We’ll go.”

And it hurts, in some way, that John is so sacrificing. Derek is used to being that. Used to being the one to give up on things so someone else can have something nice. That John would leave such a place filled with warmth and happiness just to make him more comfortable is...is…

An addicting rush of power.

Better than being an Alpha, better than having his own pack.

“No,” Derek turned and nuzzled into John’s scruff, pressing a kiss to the strong curve of his jaw. “I’m….fine.”

For the first time in a long time, Derek realized with a shock, it wasn’t actually a lie.

“You sure?”

He glanced around at the people--at his pack, his new  _family_ \--milling around and smiled softly, before turning and brushing a soft kiss against John’s mouth.

“Yeah, I am.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come hang out with me on [tumblr](http://momomomma2.tumblr.com)!


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